Retirees Slams DC 37 Garrido over Threats at Press Conference today, June 22 Rally pics

We thank Councilman Charles Barron and the brave co-sponsors of the City Council for standing up to this thuggery by Mr. Garrido and introducing Int. 1099, which will protect the earned Medicare benefits of their constituents. ... NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees

Monday, June 26

The rally last Thursday was packed with retirees and supporters. When I left to catch the 2:30 ferry back to Rockaway there were still hundreds of people still hanging out. I have pics below. How interesting that Charles Barron, an open socialist, who has often been shut out of the mainstream, has become a hero to the retirees which includes people on the right. It proves something many of us on the left learned in our own schools when we won elections: stand up for people and they will look past your politics they disagree with. Other left wingers in the Council back us.

The other point is that the right wing Republicans also support us - my own Joanne Areola - I never vote Republican but on this issue alone I may vote for her next time.

This morning there is a press conference to expose Henry Garrido from DC 37 for his attack on the bill Barron presented.  I've got a zoom at 10 so I'm not going to be there. The assumption has been that Mulgrew is also threatening City Council members who support the bill with no endorsements. They should call his bluff as those people will get the votes of 250K retirees which is worth more than a UFT endorsement, which has often been a kiss of death.

On the other hand, there is a theory floating around that if Mulgrew was smart (certainly far from a given) he would support the Barron bill, which would maintain the Senior Care option and allow people to remain in traditional medicare as a way out of the mess he's gotten himself and us in. It is pretty funny to see people I meet in other unions say what a rat Mulgrew is.  

Speaking of rats:

One more point -- Retiree Advocate Caucus UFT and CROC - Cross Union Organizing Committee which includes retirees from other municipal unions, were involved in the rally and bought out their people.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

June 25, 2023

 

New York City Organization Of Public Service Retirees Responds to Union Boss Henry Garrido’s Misrepresentations & Smears on NY1 with Errol Louis

PRESS CONFERENCE WITH COUNCILMAN BARRON

MONDAY, JUNE 26^TH

11 AM

CITY HALL

On Thursday, June 22^nd, District Council 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido delivered a two-page missive declaring legislation (Int. 1099) proposed by Councilman Charles Barron of District 42 in Brooklyn, the most irresponsible proposal in the history of the City Council. That same day, the NY Daily News reported how Mr. Garrido was planning on threatening council members who supported the legislation - not because the bill to protect Medicare for retired public servants has merits - instead, due to him making a deal with the devil to trade away those benefits for his own enrichment. 

Accordingly, to try and clean up his bullying, he went on a P.R. sprint to justify his actions by going on an unchallenged interview on NY1 with Errol Louis to misrepresent and distort his actions without any fact-checking or pushback. 

Several Unions - not all - within the Municipal Labor Committee bulldozed the Municipal Retirees into an inferior Medicare Advantage Plan that will cause some to lose access to their doctors, physicians, and treatment facilities while undergoing severe ailments like cancer and dialysis run by a company - CVS/Aetna - that's under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for defrauding the Federal Government for Medicare Fraud. 

Moreover, the NY Post Editorial published an OpEd laying out the true reasons for this switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan by stating, "The projected savings help fund the latest round of municipal labor contracts that hike wages for cops, teachers, firefighters, sanitation and clerical workers." ...

There we go. 

“Mr. Garrido admits his Stabilization Fund is empty, but he’s not telling you they misused it and now are selling off retirees and the disabled for a cash infusion. There are no $600 million savings to the NY taxpayer as that money goes to the same unions stealing the benefits earned and paid for by senior citizens and people with disabilities.  He should collectively bargain for benefits, something retirees can no longer do. We live that adage, ‘If you don’t have a seat at the table, you must be on the menu. Mr. Garrido picked the wrong main course!’” said Marianne Pizzitola, President of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.

NYC Municipal Retirees, all former Union workers, are being forced into a privatized plan that will cause us harm in funding current workers' raises. That is just wrong. 

We thank Councilman Charles Barron and the brave co-sponsors of the City Council for standing up to this thuggery by Mr. Garrido and introducing Int. 1099, which will protect the earned Medicare benefits of their constituents. 

###

Marianne Pizzitola

President

NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees

And

FDNY EMS Retirees Association

 A few pics from the rally with credit to me and Denise Rickles from retiree Advocate.

 

MulgrewCare is Back in Attempt to Overturn Judge's Ruling, PSC Union opposes, Resisters Will Marching In Labor Day Rally

The union honchos want a blank check to reconfigure the health plans of both retirees and in-service members. This means limiting the choices for in-service members (cost cutting being the main goal) and pressuring retirees in to a Medicare Advantage plan.... UFT Retiree

I wrote the other day about contracts being stalled until the retiree issue was settled: NYC Contract Negotiations Stalled Due to Healthcar... 

Sure enough the next day we find the Adams/Mulgrew alliance are doing a work around the judge -- Eterno has details and the article in NY Focus:

 

ICEUFT Blog

UNIONS-ADAMS AGREE TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO LET THEM RESURRECT MULGREWCARE (PRIVATIZED MEDICARE ADVANTAGE)

I'm in the city for today's Labor Day marches. Two days ago we got the news that so many of the union leaderships, including our own UFT, are still trying to sell out retirees by forcing them out of Medicare and into a privatized Medicare Advantage program. 

 

I'm heading over to the 42nd St library soon to meet up with people from a bunch of unions - called CROC - Cross Union Organizing Committee -- and we will march with Retiree Advocate in the sea of mostly UFT Unity.

One of the unions we are working with is CUNY - Prof Staff Congress and at least their leadership is resisting. Below is their letter and I will be back tomorrow with a report on the rally and reactions as I ask the Unity clones, who slavishly follow the line like Trumpies follow their leader -- HOW COULD YOU?

 

 

Dear PSC members and retirees,

NYC Retiree Health Plan Update - The Mulgrewcare sellout continues, Amazon joins the feeding frenzy to kill Medicare

• Anthem Withdraws from MulgrewCare -- Boo Hoo -  ednotes.

Michael and Tom's email yesterday sum(s) up what needs to be done.....continue the process with the City to find and win a well-crafted premium free Medicare Advantage plan in what has become an increasingly expensive healthcare environment.... Vinny Gaglione, UFT Retiree chapter

A Retiree Advocate member responds:

Hi Vinny,

I couldn't disagree with you more. Michael and Tom's email does not sum up what needs to be done, it merely sums up what they want to be done. The way forward is not through Medicare Advantage, but by exploring other options. Besides, the city already offers two premium-free Medicare Advantage plans: Aetna Medicare Plan (PPO) and Empire MediBlue PPO. As a matter of fact, several knowledgeable people I spoke with over the past year feel that the existing Aetna plan is superior to the proposed Alliance MAPP plan (and it has always been offered without coercive penalties for not opting into it). We need a restart, not a rebrand. And retirees need to be part of the process, not part of the rubber stamp.

Cheers, 

NY Focus: Health Insurers Just Killed The Medicare Plan City Retirees Railed Against

 

Mellins S. Health Insurers Just Killed The Medicare Plan City Retirees Railed Against. NY Focus. July 19 2022. https://www.nysfocus.com/2022/07/19/city-retirees-medicare-insurers-pull-out/

Let's understand exactly what this means. The UFT is trying to find a good Medicare Adv Plan (MAP) - a profit-making, high admin cost, high exec salary, high ad cost plan to replace a lower cost, non-profit, low admin cost current traditional Medicare plan. 

In other words - let's insert a middleman between us and the government plan. -- MulgrewCare indeed.

For a great discussion on the negative impact of middlemen - watch this video on Majority Report -- Emma at one point brings up private health insurance as raising the costs of healthcare -- not make it cheaper as Vinny claims.

https://youtu.be/sq1TRdd1WfY

- 

A retiree wrote -- If you read this article carefully it spells big trouble on the horizon for working staff and retirees. The UFT clearly will support a monthly premium for our insurance.

Here is Vinny's full email to a Retiree health care committee - dominated by Unity Caucus and fundamentally, non-functioning.

From UFT: Good Evening Retirees,

A lot of press articles came out today. Two had some errors in the reporting that are being corrected. Press can be found in the NY Focus, Craine's ad NY Daily News.

You will read that this organization was having a meeting with the Mayor. That is true. What's NOT true is that we were going to discuss the possibility of supporting a MAP plan. That was NEVER on the agenda.

The City of NY may have to re-bid out the plan, but we WOULD NEVER, EVER agree to be forced into a MAPP. EVER.

We advocate for Traditional Medicare and Supplemental AND CHOICE. MAP plans have existed in the City offering since about 1993. They were always a CHOICE, and they should REMAIN THAT WAY!

Please allow for the errors in reporting to be corrected and share this message with anyone that thinks otherwise of our message! You have heard it DIRECTLY FROM US THAT IS NOT WHAT WE STAND FOR.

On Tue, Jul 19, 2022 at 2:39 PM VINCENT GAGLIONE <uftrtchealthchair@gmail.com> wrote:

DEAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS,

So the operating principle for the committee, ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE BECAUSE NOTHING IN THIS DAMNED WORLD IS ROUTINE ANYMORE, is that we convene on Zoom monthly on the third Thursday of the month at 4:00 PM.

Thanks for reminding me that I forgot to note the time on the link that I sent out.

Some have asked for an explanation of the effects of the Alliance pullout from Medicare Advantage Plus. Michael and Tom's email yesterday sum up what needs to be done.....continue the process with the City to find and win a well-crafted premium free Medicare Advantage plan in what has become an increasingly expensive healthcare environment.

Health Insurers Just Killed The Medicare Plan City Retirees Railed Against With the plan tied up in court, Anthem and Empire BlueCross pulled out of a controversial deal to switch retired city workers to privately run health insurance. Sam Mellins / July 19, 2022 New York City’s years-long effort to shift retired city workers to a cost-cutting health care plan was dealt a major blow Monday when the insurer in charge of running the plan announced that it is withdrawing from the deal. The plan — which the city and municipal unions hoped would save $600 million a year in health care costs — would have been run by the Retiree Health Alliance, a partnership between health insurance companies Anthem and Empire BlueCross BlueShield. The effort, part of a bigger cost-savings package negotiated with labor unions, involved switching retired city employees from their current coverage, which is traditional federal government-run Medicare plus supplemental insurance paid for by the city and the unions, to a privatized Medicare Advantage program.  The plan’s implementation has been on hold since March, when a state Supreme Court ruling  barred the city from charging retirees for their current health coverage. Before the ruling, retirees who opted out of the switch would have been required to pay $191 per month to maintain their current coverage. The city had appealed the ruling, and that process was ongoing. The Alliance had requested that the city provide them with an exact start date for the plan by July 15. Likely because of the ongoing lawsuit, the city was not able to do so. In a statement, Harry Nespoli, chair of the Municipal Labor Committee, a coalition of city unions that negotiated the cost-savings deal, said that the Alliance had demanded an unconditional guarantee that the program would start on January 1, 2023, no matter what happened in court. When the city and unions declined to make this guarantee, the Alliance withdrew from the plan, Nespoli said. On Monday, a notice on the Alliance’s website read: “Given the level of uncertainty at this time, we informed the city that Empire BlueCross BlueShield is not able to participate in offering the NYC Medicare Advantage Plus Plan.”  Asked for comment, Mayor Eric Adams spokesperson Jonah Allon said: “The City and the Municipal Labor Committee continue to believe that a customized Medicare Advantage Plan provides the retirees, the City and its taxpayers with the best opportunity for high quality healthcare. We remain committed to moving forward with the program and are exploring alternative options.”  The Adams administration is considering whether to continue with its appeal of the court ruling. Union leaders said Tuesday that they still intend to pursue a switch to a Medicare Advantage plan. “We still believe in a Medicare Advantage Plus plan and we’ll just figure out how to get that done,” Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers and vice-chair of the Municipal Labor Committee, told New York Focus. Waiting Room  The news of the withdrawal was a win for the groups that have been organizing against the change. “This is yet another victory for the retirees, ensuring that for now, they are guaranteed their health care,” said Steve Cohen, the lawyer representing the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees, which sued in September to block the switch. Retirees — who for months have warned that the new plan could cover fewer treatments and lead to higher costs — also celebrated the development. “I think Anthem is wise to back away from this hot mess, and I think that the city has wasted enough of my money and other taxpayers’ money on legal action,” said Marcia Biederman, a retired Brooklyn public school teacher. “We have been promised good, reliable healthcare in our retirement, and Medicare Advantage would break that promise.” Mulgrew said that any future Medicare Advantage plan will be premium-free for retirees — as their current insurance is, and as the Alliance’s Medicare Advantage plan would have been. The next step in the process is likely to be reaching out to other insurers that demonstrated interest in providing a Medicare Advantage plan. “There were multiple people who bid on it. So I’m assuming what we’ll do is contact those folks,” Mulgrew said.  The two finalists for the original contract were the Alliance and Aetna, according to court documents. Aetna, which unsuccessfully sued the city after it was not awarded the original Medicare Advantage contract, did not respond to questions on whether it is still interested. The Organization of Public Service Retirees might support a future Medicare Advantage plan, Cohen said, noting that the group was planning to mention the possibility to Mayor Eric Adams at a meeting scheduled for Monday that was canceled. “We were going to suggest that he goes back and put out a new bid for a better and different Medicare Advantage plan that really works,” he said.  But the organization’s support would depend on whether they feel that the program meets retirees’ needs, the plan being opt-in, rather than opt-out, and with the option of allowing retirees to maintain their current coverage free of charge, he insisted. “Is it going to be the same pig with lipstick? Or are you going to actually try to come up with something that is as good as, or close to, the Senior Care plan?” Cohen said, referring to retirees’ current health insurance plan. The United Federation of Teachers is committed to keeping Senior Care open as an option for retirees, Mulgrew said. If the city’s appeal is successful, Mulgrew said the unions might support requiring retirees to start paying a monthly premium for Senior Care, which the lower court’s ruling currently bars them from doing.  “Since that is one decision we made at that point in time, we would probably make it again,” he said. The city is also currently seeking a cheaper option for the health plan that it provides to active employees and retirees who are not yet 65 and eligible for Medicare, New York Focus reported last month, but Mulgrew said that wouldn’t affect retirees’ health care.  “It would not affect Senior Care at all. Senior Care is a separate entity completely,” he said. The group fighting on the law suit is still raising funds.     And to make matters worse -  Amazon to acquire One Medical clinics in latest push into health care. The $3.9 billion deal is Amazon’s latest acquisition in the health care industry. In 2018, it acquired PillPack, an online pharmacy. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/21/business/amazon-one-medical-deal.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

Retiree Advocate will continue to fight for UFT retirees.

Mulgrew Slammed as Delegates React to His Angry Rants - Delegate Assembly (Oct. 13) Report #1 - Updated

Mulgrew sounded like “my angry drunk father”  --- Newly elected Delegate at first DA who also posted-

The woman who stormed out is my chapter leader. She's the real deal.... Tweet

Is there potential of holding a people's DA downstairs outside the meeting -- why go in and be abused?

Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 - 9AM

I will have a lot to say about what happened Wednesday with the joint action of Retirees protesting outside and working members from all active groups in the UFT working the inside -- I have lots of background info and reports are still coming in, including the whining from Unity Caucus about how people are politicizing issues -- HELLO! James and Arthur have detailed reports:

NYC Educator -- On Persuasion, Lack Thereof, and UFT Endorsing a Bought-and-paid-for Charter Shill - Last night's DA was remarkable on multiple levels. There was talk about NYCH, a bill that would provide health care for all New Yorkers. 

 

ICEUFT Blog

LIVE BLOGGING FROM OCTOBER DA (unedited, updated with News 12 report); SOME DELEGATES CHANT "HANDS OFF OUR HEALTHCARE" AND WALK OUT AFTER MULGREW ONLY ALLOWS MEMBERS OF HIS UNITY CAUCUS TO MAKE MOTIONS WHILE IGNORING NON UNITY DELEGATES -

Here is an array of first impressions, many from newcomers to the DA.

The first delegate assembly of the 2021-22 school year displayed the full disarray, disorganized, and unhinged leadership of the union. 

Since the start of the pandemic we have had a union that is far removed from its members. Yesterday we saw a leadership that is now in open contempt of its own members. 

The president of our union, paid by our union dues, actually yelled at his own members, working classroom teachers, elected by their chapters. 

Our union leadership refuses to address changes in retiree healthcare which reduced coverage which is bound to happen to active members in the upcoming contract.UFT leadership endorsed a Mayoral candidate they previously opposed, they were forced to call on executive board members who are no longer in the classroom and retirees that last taught in the 1980’s. 

Mulgrew sounded like “my angry drunk father."

A resolution was passed calling for woman leadership of our city council “but we have all men running the largest union of women in the city”  -- Chapter leader and long time teacher

Mulgrew’s report was like the worst PD I ever had to sit through”  -- New chapter leader

Mulgrew and his Unity caucus are more disconnected than ever before. They haven’t been in the classroom since the pandemic, they have no clue about anything teachers or paras deal with daily and it shows when he talks... Veteran chapter leader

Every single health care speaker was chastised, interrupted, and deemed out of order. As a new delegate it appears I'll need clarification on when we're allowed to talk about health care, because this happened during multiple parts of the agenda... New delegate  

There's a lot more to come regarding the walkout, the joint action of so many, some of the speeches made outside, Mulgrew's increasing isolation and deterioration, scared Unity people who fear he may be blowing it for them as the opposition shows signs of uniting for next year's elections, the potential of holding a people's DA outside the meeting -- I mean why go in and be abused?

 

Delegate AssemblyGate: UFT Leaders blink, opposition organizes for Oct. 13 DA over medicare and health and safety issues

EdNotes - BREAKING - 3:15PM, Oct. 7 --  Notice to Attend DA Sent out during school day as UFT Leadership Packs Upcoming Delegate Assembly with Unity Caucus Members  ---  IMAGINE -- Actual working chapter leaders and delegates were sent a notice - purposefully when they were in the classroom, thus giving the vast Unity Caucus network, many not in classrooms an advantage in registering - and all seats were filled almost immediately -- thus shutting out the many newly elected (spring 2021) chapter leaders and delegates --- one of the stories was that MORE elected 100 of them and few of them will be able to get into the DA next Wednesday -- but we (Retiree Advocate) will be outside and will urge every ch and del shut out to join us outside shouting -- let us in....  - UFT Closes Doors to DA -- UFT Update: Ant...

Coming Wednesday (Oct. 13), ICE-UFT will be joining with multiple other opposition groups for a Healthcare-Health and Safety rally at the UFT's first Delegate Assembly of this school year. Delegates, Chapter Leaders, rank and file active UFTers, retirees and others will all be there. I have never seen this kind of excited pulling together among opposition groups in the UFT.... James Eterno at ICEUFT blog

Monday, October 11, 2021 - Good morning - happy day off (I barely noticed).

It's in the DNA of the UFT leadership over 60 years of Unity Caucus existence to hold on to power at all costs. This didn't play well with some.

How is this at all reasonable? A teachers union that locks teachers out of its meetings because they're...teaching? Space is certainly an issue, but if there are caps on attendees who want to be there, then this is de facto suppression of full delegate participation. ... A delegate

Chapter leaders and delegates are elected to FULLY REPRESENT their respective chapters endowed with FULL POWER TO LEGISLATE. This is yet another example of seeking to make the DA a rubber stamp for a @UFT leadership that doesn’t consult the rank and file. We must be & do better..... Delegate

Over decades, that has been the major thing they have been good at -- managing the membership. When it comes to the DOE or big progressive ideas or aligning with progressive politicians, the UFT leadership has been mush -- think Schumer compared to Mitch -- they have the same mentality -- it's not in their DNA to fight back, other than to fight back against dissident members of the UFT. That's where they show some level of militancy.

At some point, that single-minded focus on control, especially a leadership totally out of touch with the members, begins to fail. The attempt to pack the upcoming DA with Unity Caucus members while retirees rally outside over the Medicare issue (Rallies, Lawsuit Updates - Retirees go to court ), joined by newly united opposition protesting the way the leadership has handled safety in the schools, may seem like a minor failure, but it is indicative of an increasingly isolated leadership, even within the confines of Unity Caucus and middle management at the district rep level. 

Last Wednesday night Oct. 6), a joint zoom event was held where parents and teachers told their stories. Zoom -- ICEUFT, Educators of NYC (EONYC): Educators Speak Out on Unsafe Schools -

Of even greater concern to the UFT leadership was this posting by Daniel Alicea, of Educators of NYC, promoting the rally outside the Oct. 13 DA:

Note the logos at the bottom -- just about every group involved in the UFT other than Unity is listed -- possibly with more to come -- and of course independent non-affiliated who are always heavily recruited by Unity, especially the newly elected chapter leaders, of which there are many, might be tempted. That MORE can claim 100 CL and Del is significant.

Plus the delegates and Ch Ldrs connected to the other groups would be the first real threat to Unity control of the DA since the early 60s. Making sure to keep as many activists out of the in-person DA is right in the wheel alley of the UFT/Unity leadership.

If these groups can actually deliver getting their people to show up that would put icing on the cake and present a real long-time threat to Unity control of the DA -- just imagine if they have to drag out all their people every month -- why they'd have to offer them a post-DA dinner as a bribe.

Was it a glitch?

I was told after posting the breaking story of an attempt to pack the DA (rivaling FDR's attempt to pack the court) by someone with inside info that I was wrong - it was just a glitch and reversed a few hours later. 

I maintain it wasn't a glitch (I had info that for the Sept 22 CL meeting, some Unity people were sort of told to make sure to be there in person) but intentional.

By 5PM, the meeting that was supposed to be socially distanced - the excuse to limit in person attendance -- had been opened up. 

The reversal to open up the space inside the DA was incited by the outrage of chapter leaders and delegates calling and tweeting at union officials. By 5PM the so-called artificial "safety distance rules" set up for the DA - and for the Sept. 22 chapter leader meeting -- where Retiree Advocate/UFT Caucus people were also outside in force.

Let's follow the bouncing ball.

Since the registration [for Oct. 13 Delegate ASSEMBLY] email was sent during the work day, I opened it and registered less than 15 minutes after dismissing my kids. Virtual available only. No other option. Locked out of the full democratic process. Thanks for such a warm welcome to the DA, @UFT! ....Classroom teacher, newly elected delegate

The UFT executive board recently voted to allow a hybrid delegate assembly. While I support giving this option to members, I received an email to register for the DA at about 1:50. When I tried to register in person it said it’s at capacity… Classroom teacher, chapter leader

Response of Brian Gibbons, UFT social media head:

From reports, Brian Gibbons has not been a classroom teacher.

I do find it ironic that the UFT leadership seems fine with sending its members into crowded non-socially distance schools while using the safety issue to restrict attendance and limit democracy at union events. For instance, all Ex Bd meetings are supposed to be open to all members but right now you must be vaxed to attend (interesting that the unvaxed members the UFT is supporting in court would not be allowed in). All retiree meetings this year will be remote - there is one Oct. 13 from 1-3PM -- interesting how that meeting was moved from the usual Tuesday to just before the DA which starts at 4 -- the leadership knew we were planning to rally.

I'm proud of the work Retiree Advocate/UFT has done over the past year -- we are a group of people from various caucuses and have worked very well together - a model of sorts. I wrote this in April, 2021 -- The United Front: Retiree Advocate/UFT brings friends and former opponents together for Retiree Chapter election.

In some ways the actual issues pale compared to the fact that all groups are talking to each other at various levels - privately and in more official ways from what I hear. Working together for the Oct. 13 DA -- the first DA for many who had been elected last spring --- might turn into actually bringing a long-time dream of mine to fruition -- a united slate in this spring's UFT elections. 

Wishful thinking? I'm torn because I don't look forward to getting involved in another UFT election but if wishes come through I will be there.

Rallies, Lawsuit Updates - Retirees go to court - NY Post, AETNA LAWSUIT Calls for halt to Medicare change - Wants piece of $38 Billion up for grabs

...on Friday, some 100 retirees had a die-in press conference at City Hall where they dressed as the Grim Reaper and mimicked choking to death in protest of the plan. Sarah Shapiro, a retired teacher with the Cross Union Retirees Organizing Committee, said they are being thrown “under the bus after decades of service to this city. We are in the midst of a pandemic. We have frail and sickly retirees who are in the middle of cancer treatments,” she said..... NY Post

Question of the day - or year - or decade: 

Why does the UFT leadership oppose Single payer, medicare for all plans and promote privatized MedAdv plans with its profits, high salaries and lower level of service?

Norm's commentary: 

There is a bunch of news around the joint union/city attempt to move 225k retirees out of Medicare and into a privatized version known as Medicare Advantage. A law suit by retirees and a law suit by the losing bidder, Aetna - both reported on below my commentary.

There is an option to opt out and remain in traditional Medicare, which an increasing number of people are taking but at a cost -- it will cost me and my wife around $4500 a year for the same thing we've been getting for free. An extortion plot hatched by our union leaders. The more you know about Medicare Advantage, the more you want to vomit.

Read these for a deeper dive --  

• https://nycmea.org/retired-city-workers-brace-for-shift-to-privatized-health-care/
  
• Medicare Advantage Scams Fed Medicare System by Fa...

• Medicare Advantage Scams Fed Medicare System by Fabricating Medical Diagnoses - NPR

The Retiree Advocate/UFT caucus has been leading the battle since April with press conferences, rallies and marches.

• Retiree Advocate/UFT Calls for MLC Moratorium on h...
• Video - Retiree Advocate Press Conference Fight to...
• Are Municipal Unions Selling Out Retirees? Hell YES -
• Noon rally plus Compare and co...
• MEDIA ADVISORY: Rally and Tour to save Medicare fo...
•  Cross Union Retirees Organizing - Hundreds of Ret...

Our vote total went up to 30% in the retiree chapter election in April when many retirees had not yet heard of the change. With a general UFT election coming this March-May and the retiree vote crucial for Unity Caucus control of the UFT, another 10 point slippage might put the election in play for the first time. (Already retirees are asking to be added to the oppositon slate.) Add this to the general unhappiness with the UFT by working members over school safety and their support for the minority of unvaxed teachers, this election can be interesting.

I reported on recent events, some organized by a cross union group that included Retiree Advocates --- We had a great Die-in on Friday near City Hall with hundreds of people --- people in hospital gowns were "examined" by doctors - some of them real docs - and rejected, upon which they "died" on a mat while the grim reaper stood over them. (There were also concurrent Taxi and Climate protests in the same area- a perfect day for protests.)

 [ see - “Die-In” is to publicize the inadequacies of the NYC Medicare Advantage switch-over by Mayor de Blasio and Unions]

• Retirees to Rally at UFT Chapter Leader Meeting We...
• Wowsa -- Aetna sues NYC, union leaders over ‘taint...

We were out in force at the  Sept. 22 UFT chapter leader meeting, which ironically was limited to 200 people in Shanker Hall which seats 850 -- ironically because the UFT seems OK with sending its members into crowded schools with little social distancing. Monday night there was an Ex bd meeting in person where everyone had to show proof of vax. I'm wondering if the UFT has a must vax order for its own employees.

The Aetna lawsuit has a better chance of halting things before Jan. 1 than the members vote -- I didn't join as a plaintive but wish them luck. Aetna is pissed because they lost out and are claiming the people who won out are incompetent at managing these type of plans. I join Retiree Advocate in opposing all private insurance and wanting a medicare for all, single payer system. Yes, it's socialized medicine -- but Medicare has basically proved that it works. Below the break are details of the lawsuits:

Today 4PM -“Die-In” is to publicize the inadequacies of the NYC Medicare Advantage switch-over by Mayor de Blasio and Unions - Broadway side

Who: We are the Cross-Union Retiree Organizing Committee (CROC) composed of retirees from NYC's municipal labor unions. We oppose the City's move to save money by endangering the healthcare coverage of vulnerable seniors.

I'm heading back into the city for this well-thought out event that includes reps from many municipal unions.  I'm not the grim reaper and I'm not laying down because I won't get up so I am handing out leaflets. COME ON DOWN!!!

BTW - here is opt out link: https://nyc-ma-plus.empireblue.com/optout/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Media Advisory: Municipal Worker Retirees Plan Protest To Halt Healthcare Changes

What:  NYC municipal union retirees will stage a "Die-In" at City Hall Park to protest the life-threatening danger faced by 250,000 retirees as the City prepares to switch their traditional Medicare coverage to a  privately managed Medicare Advantage plan beginning Jan. 1, 2022.  At a mock "Medicare DisAdvantage Clinic" overseen by the Grim Reaper, participants will enact the potentially fatal consequences of restricting healthcare for seniors.

The protest comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed by Aetna charging the City and its Office of Labor Relations of bid-rigging in awarding the health coverage contract.

When: Friday, September 24, 2021, rain or shine

Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p. m.

Where: The Broadway side of City Hall Park (between Murray & Park Sts.)

Who: We are the Cross-Union Retiree Organizing Committee (CROC) composed of retirees from NYC's municipal labor unions. We oppose the City's move to save money by endangering the healthcare coverage of vulnerable seniors.

Press Contacts:

Sarah Shapiro, spokesperson for CROC (sarahmorah@gmail.com)

Len Rodberg, expert on Medicare issues (lrodberg@gmail.com) 

 

“Die-In” Action

 

When: Friday, September 24, 2021 

Time: Participants arrive at 3:15pm for a rehearsal. The action takes place from 4:00pm-5:00pm.

Where: on Broadway next to City Hall Park between Murray Street and Park Place

 

The point of the “Die-In” is to publicize the inadequacies of the NYC Medicare Advantage switch-over by Mayor de Blasio and to pressure the new mayor to scrap the plan .

 

There will be a Medicare Dis-Advantage health clinic on the Broadway side of City Hall between Murray Street and Park Place. Some participants will play sick patients waiting in two patient feeder lines to be examined by other participants dressed up as doctors and nurses. These mock doctors and nurses will theatrically examine three or four patients for 30 seconds. Then the patients will be determined ineligible for treatment. To communicate this, the doctors and nurse will hold up “No Authorization” signs. Patients will then walk over to the death mat and die in whatever way they like for 30 seconds while a drum rolls and the Grim Reaper approaches. Patients can get back in line to be examined and die multiple times. Protesters with signs will stand on the sidelines. We cannot block the sidewalk! A picket march down Broadway and through City Hall Park will take place once there is a large enough crowd of protesters. We are hopeful that a few politicians will attend, and if they do, we will pause the action for a few minutes in order for them to speak. We expect some press to be there too.

 

 

UFT Elections: Boycott?- Why Run at all if Unity stacks the deck? - The Sunday Special

You know that bogus Einstein quote about the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different outcomes.

One thing never tried it a total boycott of UFT elections.

Sunday, Sept. 12 -- I keep asking myself this question every single election cycle. What's the point of running if you are bound to lose? Over 30 years the best the opposition could do was once win 13 Ex Bd seats (1991) and win the 7 high school seats most of the rest of the time. History counts -- the vote totals on all the elections are pretty consistent. 

Why is this year different/ (I know, it's Yom Kippur coming up, not Passover.) 

Well, there is the always eternal hope that there will be a head to head confrontation between a united opposition and Unity -- which we had (sort of) in 2016. Then there is the unpopularity of Mulgrew. Then there is the mishandling of the pandemic by the UFT on so many fronts. Then there is the union's turning off so many retirees, the lifeblood of Unity, by taking away their medicare. Then there was the OT/PT functional chapter revolt where MORE swept the chapter leader and delegate positions, a sigificant event. Then there is word from other functional chapters. Then there were the school chapter elections last year where anti-Unity voices made some headway. Then there is Educators of NYC run by Daniel Alicea who actually voted for Unity in 2019 but has become a strong critical independent voice. I bet there are a bunch of people out there like Daniel.

Then there is  ...... PLEASE STOP TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF TO PUT ANY TIME OR EFFORT INTO ANOTHER UFT ELECTION.

There is the history of elections where no matter how I get my hopes up the outcome is pretty much the same.

I was deeply involved in UFT elections in 2004, 07, 10 (ICE), 13, 16 (MORE). I was out of the 2019 elections as I was in the process of being purged from MORE for publicly disagreeing with the faction in control of MORE that engineered the decision not only to not run with other groups but to purposely run in a way to not contend for any winnable positions - A minimalist campaign for what purpose I still can't figure out. Ed Notes covered the contradiction in their position in March, 2019.

My final words to the MOREs was to either run with everyone in a serious manner to maximize the anti-Unity vote with the aim of winning the high schools and taking a serious shot at the middle schools or not run at all but use the election (which occupies a great deal of time) time saved as an organizing tool for the caucus. I told the MOREs that an election is like a high stakes test for a caucus. At the very least it must hold its own in vote totals but most people other than hard core organizers (like I was) get discouraged if these numbers don't grow. I can't tell you how many people I saw pass through the groups I was in over these 50 years.

I have been urging boycotts of UFT elections in every election since 2010 to emphasize the undemocratic nature of the UFT itself where winning an election is almost impossible. Why run of the outcome is pre-decided? John Lawhead from ICE and now Solidarity Caucus came up with the idea of uncaucusing for the elections and focusing on issues of concern to the members without engaging in the cumbersome and often distracting election process. Behind my idea was to leave the membership with no options on the ballot other than Unity as a wake-up call. I know that prospect actually scares the Unity people because it exposes them. If there were no opposition running Unity would make one up.

I was overruled every time and ended up throwing myself deep into the elections. I ran the petitioning campaigns for MORE in 2013, 2016 along with Ellen Fox. The MORE decision in 2019 relieved me of all that work and sitting out the election was a relief.

Now we are upon yet another UFT election cycle for 2022 and we are in the same position  - will the opposition come together this time with a united front challenge to Unity? So far most of the various caucus and uncaucus groups have spoken as Retiree Advocate, ICE, Solidarity, New Action, Educators of NYC - and even this lonely spot - Ed Notes - have endorsed that idea with rumors that MORE was taking a membership vote that ended Friday on a positive note.

The hard part would be to put everyone together in a room and lock the doors. The best thing about this election is that I will be outside that room blocking the exits.

Previous Ed Notes

Everything you wanted to know about UFT Elections ...

Retiree Advocate/UFT Caucus joins call for United Slate for UFT elections in 2022 and joint cooperation on common issues

Retiree Advocate/UFT posted this notice calling for a united opposition in the 2022 UFT elections.  

August 30, 2021

Retiree Advocate, a caucus in the UFT, calls on all opposition caucuses and non-affiliated individuals within the UFT to come together and form a full and united slate to run against the Unity Caucus in the 2022 United Federation of Teachers union-wide elections. 

 
Our goal is to transform the Retired Teachers’ Chapter (RTC) into one that is democratic, powerful and responsive to the members and not simply a calling card for the UNITY leadership.
The Unity caucus leadership, in power for 60 years, has felt free to engage in actions that are detrimental to the interests of the membership.

 

Retiree Advocate urges further cooperation during the upcoming school year on points of common interest such as, lowering class size, fighting against changes to in-service and retiree member health care, rights of members to a healthy and safe teaching and working environment and advocating for a more democratic UFT.  

 

Only a credible threat from a broad based opposition that threatens Unity's hold on the union can force the UFT leadership to be more accountable to the membership. 

 

What is Retiree Advocate/UFT?

We are a caucus in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). Our goal is to transform the Retired Teachers’ Chapter (RTC) into one that is democratic, powerful and responsive to the members and not simply a calling card for the UNITY leadership. To do this, our chapter must critically evaluating leadership’s policies & programs and create real alternatives that protect retirees, support working members and fight for social and economic justice for NYC’s public education school communities. We believe that the Unity caucus leadership, in power for 60 years, has felt free to engage in actions that are detrimental to the interests of the membership. Witness the recent undemocratic decision to convert our traditional Medicare coverage to a privately managed Medicare Advantage Plan. We were able to alert the membership about this deceptive action. Only a credible threat from a broad based opposition that threatens their hold on the union can force the UFT leadership including our chapter (RTC) to be more accountable to the membership moving forward. We have been running slates in UFT elections for 20 years. Our program can be viewed here-

RA-UFT Platform. This past April we received practically 30 percent of the vote, our highest ever!

We need you to join us so that we can continue to grow, achieve our goals and take control of OUR union.